Viscosity Measurements of Ceramic Oxides by Aerodynamic Levitation

The aerodynamic levitation technique has been used to achieve contactless surface tension and viscosity measurements of oxide liquids at high temperature (T > 2000 K). An analytical approach (hydrodynamic equations) and a new recent approach, the energetic approach, are preseInted. The energetic approach is iInteresting because it can be applied to all cases, including ceramic oxides, even for droplets far from spherical shape. A device (VITI: VIscosity Temperature Installation) has been developed to perform viscosity measurements on corium using the aerodynamic levitation method. Specific experimental setups for the preparation and for the heating of the sample have been developed. This device has been successfully tested up to 1950 K for viscosity measurements and up to 2900 K without sample. These steps are indispensable to accomplish the final goal of VITI device: the measurement of rheological properties on oxides corium in this field of temperature. Viscosity models at high temperature for molten oxides are preseInted and compared.